Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page. Some paragraphs, dialogue, or
names may be familiar because I gleaned them from assorted books. None of
it is mine.
Chapter Seven
Upon reaching Lake Town, the dwarves led the two elves around the city, searching for a certain inn. Once they found it, the dwarves ushered the elves in and approached the innkeeper.
"Runabout Kickastone, this is Elladan of Rivendell and Tylendal of Mirkwood. We ran into them while on one of our....expeditions, and they need to get back to the palace. We were wondering if you would take them." Marin asked, ignoring the stony glares sent to him by Tylendal. The innkeeper eyed them. He had a shifty eyed look that made the elves uneasy.
"I'll see what I can do." Runabout replied the dwarf after a moment. Now Elladan was getting slightly annoyed. They spoke about the elves as if they were not there, and it was obviously wearing on Tylendal's thin temper and was even beginning to irritate Elladan. Noticing the twin elven glares sent his way, Marin held his hands out.
"Fine, if you don't like it, we'll restock and take you as far as we dare." The dwarf said, knowing the elves could slip Runabout up and follow the dwarves or try to get to Mirkwood on their own.
"Is that agreeable?" He said sarcastically, and sighed in frustration when the elves nodded reluctantly. Why did he feel as if he had to help them? It was irritating.
"Very well, you'll stay here at the inn and give us a few days to restock what we need. We are planning another expedition and we know what we need." Marin said, stumping out of the inn with his brothers in tow.
Elladan watched them go. He turned to the inn keeper, and Runabout stared curiously. He met an icy glare from both elves and shuddered at the hellish stares as he passed over the keys to a room. Hastily he pointed them to the door leading to the rooms. He did not like the elves.
"It is really proving difficult for me to restrain myself from doing something I would regret." Elladan remarked to Tylendal after they were out of the innkeeper's earshot.
"As am I," the Mirkwood elf admitted. The two entered the room assigned to them, and securely locked the door.
~*~*~*
Marin and his brothers walked at the edge of Mirkwood. They were searching for what they had been searching for before they found the elves.
"This does not look good." Farin muttered from behind them, and his brothers curiously glanced back to see him standing perfectly still, hands up in surrender, with several grim-faced elves standing all around him.
The forest around the brothers came alive, elf forms slipping from the shadows and dropping from the trees.
With a shrug, Marin dropped his heavy axe over his shoulder and onto the ground.
Marin kept his hands up, watching the elves with open mistrust. One stepped forwards, his long silver hair gleaming in the afternoon sun. He held a marvelous bow, and had a white feathered arrow strung and ready. He and the rest of the elves were dressed in camouflaged colors, and blended into the surrounding forest when they stood perfectly still.
~*~*~*
Elladan and Tylendal sat in a corner of the inn, watching those around them with unease. Men sat around the tables, laughing and drinking tankards of beer. Elladan eyed the liquid with distaste, and turned his attention to the serving girl who stood before them. She watched the two elves, but focused her attention elsewhere when she realized they had seen her staring.
"Wine or beer?" The serving girl asked, not really paying attention to them. Elladan cast a glance at Tylendal, and then turned to the girl.
"Two wines." He said, and she left to go get their drinks, dodging a drunken man as he staggered to the door. She was quick to return, and thunked the tankards onto the table with careless abandon.
"Two coppers." She said airily, and took the coins without comment.
Elladan sipped his wine as he listened to the talk at the other tables. Six men around the center table were joined by a seventh, and they huddled together. A pair of young men sat a table away, and talked louder to each other to be heard over the talking of the seven.
"...you think about Destrin? His daughter...."
"....she's nice enough..."
"....no future though."
Seeing the serving woman, he gestured to her and as she approached he asked for some of the cheese and bread others had. They were both hungry, and it would do to have some food.
"Two more coppers." She said absently, eyeing one man as he eyed her. Elladan sighed. He was using the coins he had brought with him from Rivendell. Elves normally don't carry money, but Elladan and Elrohir had some and used it when they wished. Giving the coins to the girl, she left and Elladan went back to observing those around him. The seven raised their voices more. They seemed to be talking about separate things at the same time, and it took the elf a moment before he sorted it out.
"....they wanted black oak at that price, can you believe it?"
"....another one loose in the Hills...some say he walked through a wall...."
"...just an excuse because the fellow skipped and didn't pay.."
"....Northern Mountains...."
".....wilderness..."
"Let's have another round."
"Who's paying?"
At that moment, the serving girl approached with their bread and cheese. She handed them to the elves, and walked off, ignoring the catcalls of the drunken man. He leered at her, laughing uproariously.
"Here, now, pretty boys. What's some one like you doin' in 'ere? Ye're elf- kind, ye know?" The man walked, or rather staggered, up to the two elves, breathing his alcohol-ridden breath into their faces. Elladan scowled and waved a hand to clear the fumes from his face.
"To tell you, we have no need. Our business is our own." Tylendal hissed. The man blinked, sorting through the elf's odd way of speaking, and bellowed with gruff laughter.
"Two ones like ye have no business of ye're own. Now, what are ye elf-kind doin' in this 'ere inn?" The man asked again, and Elladan fidgeted nervously when he realized the rest of the inn was watching with abandoned interest.
"As my friend said, our business is our own." Elladan repeated. The elves had nothing to hide, but the man's overbearing attitude to them stung their pride. He did not have a right to be asking questions.
Tylendal hissed something in elvish, and Elladan coughed into his hand to hide his laugh. The man blinked again, and snarled.
"What did ye say?" He asked, and when he did not receive an answer he turned to Elladan.
"What did he say?" When the Rivendell elf also did not answer, the drunk grabbed the smaller elf by the front of his tunic and slammed him against the wall. Tylendal leaped to his feet, and Elladan kicked out, but the man held him at arm length.
The drunken man's friends also stood, eager for a fight. Tylendal snarled at the men, and when one man nearest him tried to grab him he launched a fist and caught him in the eye. With a howl, the man lurched back as Elladan hooked his leg around the arm holding him, and kicked, forcing the arm out and the grip to weaken. Elladan dropped and rolled, avoiding a kick from the drunken human.
Elladan shot a confused glance at the innkeeper, who was watching with amusement. The elves were receiving no aide, and they had a feeling that if they got through with these men more of them will join.
"Where are those dwarves?" Elladan hissed at Tylendal while he lurched to the side to avoid a bellowing man.
"Frolicking in wild meadows, for all know I." Tylendal replied with a tone dripping with sarcasm. His breath hissed out from between his teeth as a large man slammed him against the wall. Pummeled by the man's fists, Tylendal hunched down to try and protect his face.
Elladan whirled and flung out a leg, tripping one man to fall into his friend who was fighting the cornered Tylendal. The man howled as he collided with his friend, and Tylendal nodded his thanks before launching himself towards the inn's windows, with Elladan following closely.
Shattering through the glass, Tylendal ducked his head to avoid the shards. He landed lightly on his feet, and followed Elladan as the Rivendell elf ran ahead. The men boiled out of the inn to try and pursue the fleet footed elves.
~*~*~*
Lorinthel scowled coldly at the three dwarves. They had relinquished their weapons, but the elves were still suspicious. The dwarves had obviously been in the area, and probably had seen the two they were seeking. That meant the elven captain had to ask.
"If you answer my questions, we will return your weapons and allow you to go on about your business." The elf said, still unsure whether it was prudent to let them roam about Mirkwood, even if it is on the edge.
"Very well. What is ye're questions?" Varin asked gruffly, folding his arms across his broad chest. The elves around him shifted and glared at his impertinent tone.
"Have you run across two elves? Two young elves?" Lorinthel asked, unsure of how to describe the two unknown elflings.
Marin muttered to his brothers, who whispered back. The elves could not hear what they said, though they tried. Finally, Marin turned to the elf.
"Aye. We have seen two elves, young by their looks." Marin said vaguely. Lorinthel scowled.
"To be more specific, what did they look like and where are they now?" Lorinthel said, a trace of irritation in his musical voice. He shifted his stance and brushed some of his silver hair back. Seeing no reason to lie, and not wishing to spite them at the moment for fear of the consequences.
"One had brown hair, talked funny and had a rather nasty temper, and the other had black hair and was a bit more polite. We left them at an inn in Lake Town, and were going to retrieve them after we finished what we needed to do out here." Marin said, distinctly avoiding saying what they were doing at the edge of Mirkwood.
Lorinthel sighed. Tylendal and one of the twins, so where was Legolas and the other twin?
~*~*~*
Legolas could have jumped for joy when he saw the edge of the forest. The raven cawed and hopped about. Elrohir scowled at the bird, but could not fault its directions.
"Come, Elrohir! Let's see where we are. We could be on any side of Mirkwood for all we know." The elven prince lightly walked past the trees, and Elrohir followed.
The youngest son of Rivendell was confused when Legolas suddenly stopped. Moving up next to him to see what the matter was, he also felt himself freeze with shock.
Looming in the near distance were large mountains, rearing up into the blue sky.
"The Misty Mountains." Elrohir breathed. They were on the western side of Mirkwood, and had traveled nearly three miles to reach the edge. (AN: That is an estimate, it is not accurate.)
"How are we to find the palace now? I know not the way from here." Legolas said worriedly, but their thoughts were disturbed as the raven began cawing an alarm.
Artemisa: Thanks a lot for your review!
Quellemorgul: I like that name. Very nice. Thanks for your review! And I understand about not reviewing every chapter, there are seven now!
Owlknight: Not found for a long time? I'll see what I could do.
Firesong- You gave me a lot of reviews. Was that purposeful? Thanks for them anyways!
Alida Fruit- You updated every chapter? Thanks a lot!
Thanks to all reviewers!
Chapter Seven
Upon reaching Lake Town, the dwarves led the two elves around the city, searching for a certain inn. Once they found it, the dwarves ushered the elves in and approached the innkeeper.
"Runabout Kickastone, this is Elladan of Rivendell and Tylendal of Mirkwood. We ran into them while on one of our....expeditions, and they need to get back to the palace. We were wondering if you would take them." Marin asked, ignoring the stony glares sent to him by Tylendal. The innkeeper eyed them. He had a shifty eyed look that made the elves uneasy.
"I'll see what I can do." Runabout replied the dwarf after a moment. Now Elladan was getting slightly annoyed. They spoke about the elves as if they were not there, and it was obviously wearing on Tylendal's thin temper and was even beginning to irritate Elladan. Noticing the twin elven glares sent his way, Marin held his hands out.
"Fine, if you don't like it, we'll restock and take you as far as we dare." The dwarf said, knowing the elves could slip Runabout up and follow the dwarves or try to get to Mirkwood on their own.
"Is that agreeable?" He said sarcastically, and sighed in frustration when the elves nodded reluctantly. Why did he feel as if he had to help them? It was irritating.
"Very well, you'll stay here at the inn and give us a few days to restock what we need. We are planning another expedition and we know what we need." Marin said, stumping out of the inn with his brothers in tow.
Elladan watched them go. He turned to the inn keeper, and Runabout stared curiously. He met an icy glare from both elves and shuddered at the hellish stares as he passed over the keys to a room. Hastily he pointed them to the door leading to the rooms. He did not like the elves.
"It is really proving difficult for me to restrain myself from doing something I would regret." Elladan remarked to Tylendal after they were out of the innkeeper's earshot.
"As am I," the Mirkwood elf admitted. The two entered the room assigned to them, and securely locked the door.
~*~*~*
Marin and his brothers walked at the edge of Mirkwood. They were searching for what they had been searching for before they found the elves.
"This does not look good." Farin muttered from behind them, and his brothers curiously glanced back to see him standing perfectly still, hands up in surrender, with several grim-faced elves standing all around him.
The forest around the brothers came alive, elf forms slipping from the shadows and dropping from the trees.
With a shrug, Marin dropped his heavy axe over his shoulder and onto the ground.
Marin kept his hands up, watching the elves with open mistrust. One stepped forwards, his long silver hair gleaming in the afternoon sun. He held a marvelous bow, and had a white feathered arrow strung and ready. He and the rest of the elves were dressed in camouflaged colors, and blended into the surrounding forest when they stood perfectly still.
~*~*~*
Elladan and Tylendal sat in a corner of the inn, watching those around them with unease. Men sat around the tables, laughing and drinking tankards of beer. Elladan eyed the liquid with distaste, and turned his attention to the serving girl who stood before them. She watched the two elves, but focused her attention elsewhere when she realized they had seen her staring.
"Wine or beer?" The serving girl asked, not really paying attention to them. Elladan cast a glance at Tylendal, and then turned to the girl.
"Two wines." He said, and she left to go get their drinks, dodging a drunken man as he staggered to the door. She was quick to return, and thunked the tankards onto the table with careless abandon.
"Two coppers." She said airily, and took the coins without comment.
Elladan sipped his wine as he listened to the talk at the other tables. Six men around the center table were joined by a seventh, and they huddled together. A pair of young men sat a table away, and talked louder to each other to be heard over the talking of the seven.
"...you think about Destrin? His daughter...."
"....she's nice enough..."
"....no future though."
Seeing the serving woman, he gestured to her and as she approached he asked for some of the cheese and bread others had. They were both hungry, and it would do to have some food.
"Two more coppers." She said absently, eyeing one man as he eyed her. Elladan sighed. He was using the coins he had brought with him from Rivendell. Elves normally don't carry money, but Elladan and Elrohir had some and used it when they wished. Giving the coins to the girl, she left and Elladan went back to observing those around him. The seven raised their voices more. They seemed to be talking about separate things at the same time, and it took the elf a moment before he sorted it out.
"....they wanted black oak at that price, can you believe it?"
"....another one loose in the Hills...some say he walked through a wall...."
"...just an excuse because the fellow skipped and didn't pay.."
"....Northern Mountains...."
".....wilderness..."
"Let's have another round."
"Who's paying?"
At that moment, the serving girl approached with their bread and cheese. She handed them to the elves, and walked off, ignoring the catcalls of the drunken man. He leered at her, laughing uproariously.
"Here, now, pretty boys. What's some one like you doin' in 'ere? Ye're elf- kind, ye know?" The man walked, or rather staggered, up to the two elves, breathing his alcohol-ridden breath into their faces. Elladan scowled and waved a hand to clear the fumes from his face.
"To tell you, we have no need. Our business is our own." Tylendal hissed. The man blinked, sorting through the elf's odd way of speaking, and bellowed with gruff laughter.
"Two ones like ye have no business of ye're own. Now, what are ye elf-kind doin' in this 'ere inn?" The man asked again, and Elladan fidgeted nervously when he realized the rest of the inn was watching with abandoned interest.
"As my friend said, our business is our own." Elladan repeated. The elves had nothing to hide, but the man's overbearing attitude to them stung their pride. He did not have a right to be asking questions.
Tylendal hissed something in elvish, and Elladan coughed into his hand to hide his laugh. The man blinked again, and snarled.
"What did ye say?" He asked, and when he did not receive an answer he turned to Elladan.
"What did he say?" When the Rivendell elf also did not answer, the drunk grabbed the smaller elf by the front of his tunic and slammed him against the wall. Tylendal leaped to his feet, and Elladan kicked out, but the man held him at arm length.
The drunken man's friends also stood, eager for a fight. Tylendal snarled at the men, and when one man nearest him tried to grab him he launched a fist and caught him in the eye. With a howl, the man lurched back as Elladan hooked his leg around the arm holding him, and kicked, forcing the arm out and the grip to weaken. Elladan dropped and rolled, avoiding a kick from the drunken human.
Elladan shot a confused glance at the innkeeper, who was watching with amusement. The elves were receiving no aide, and they had a feeling that if they got through with these men more of them will join.
"Where are those dwarves?" Elladan hissed at Tylendal while he lurched to the side to avoid a bellowing man.
"Frolicking in wild meadows, for all know I." Tylendal replied with a tone dripping with sarcasm. His breath hissed out from between his teeth as a large man slammed him against the wall. Pummeled by the man's fists, Tylendal hunched down to try and protect his face.
Elladan whirled and flung out a leg, tripping one man to fall into his friend who was fighting the cornered Tylendal. The man howled as he collided with his friend, and Tylendal nodded his thanks before launching himself towards the inn's windows, with Elladan following closely.
Shattering through the glass, Tylendal ducked his head to avoid the shards. He landed lightly on his feet, and followed Elladan as the Rivendell elf ran ahead. The men boiled out of the inn to try and pursue the fleet footed elves.
~*~*~*
Lorinthel scowled coldly at the three dwarves. They had relinquished their weapons, but the elves were still suspicious. The dwarves had obviously been in the area, and probably had seen the two they were seeking. That meant the elven captain had to ask.
"If you answer my questions, we will return your weapons and allow you to go on about your business." The elf said, still unsure whether it was prudent to let them roam about Mirkwood, even if it is on the edge.
"Very well. What is ye're questions?" Varin asked gruffly, folding his arms across his broad chest. The elves around him shifted and glared at his impertinent tone.
"Have you run across two elves? Two young elves?" Lorinthel asked, unsure of how to describe the two unknown elflings.
Marin muttered to his brothers, who whispered back. The elves could not hear what they said, though they tried. Finally, Marin turned to the elf.
"Aye. We have seen two elves, young by their looks." Marin said vaguely. Lorinthel scowled.
"To be more specific, what did they look like and where are they now?" Lorinthel said, a trace of irritation in his musical voice. He shifted his stance and brushed some of his silver hair back. Seeing no reason to lie, and not wishing to spite them at the moment for fear of the consequences.
"One had brown hair, talked funny and had a rather nasty temper, and the other had black hair and was a bit more polite. We left them at an inn in Lake Town, and were going to retrieve them after we finished what we needed to do out here." Marin said, distinctly avoiding saying what they were doing at the edge of Mirkwood.
Lorinthel sighed. Tylendal and one of the twins, so where was Legolas and the other twin?
~*~*~*
Legolas could have jumped for joy when he saw the edge of the forest. The raven cawed and hopped about. Elrohir scowled at the bird, but could not fault its directions.
"Come, Elrohir! Let's see where we are. We could be on any side of Mirkwood for all we know." The elven prince lightly walked past the trees, and Elrohir followed.
The youngest son of Rivendell was confused when Legolas suddenly stopped. Moving up next to him to see what the matter was, he also felt himself freeze with shock.
Looming in the near distance were large mountains, rearing up into the blue sky.
"The Misty Mountains." Elrohir breathed. They were on the western side of Mirkwood, and had traveled nearly three miles to reach the edge. (AN: That is an estimate, it is not accurate.)
"How are we to find the palace now? I know not the way from here." Legolas said worriedly, but their thoughts were disturbed as the raven began cawing an alarm.
Artemisa: Thanks a lot for your review!
Quellemorgul: I like that name. Very nice. Thanks for your review! And I understand about not reviewing every chapter, there are seven now!
Owlknight: Not found for a long time? I'll see what I could do.
Firesong- You gave me a lot of reviews. Was that purposeful? Thanks for them anyways!
Alida Fruit- You updated every chapter? Thanks a lot!
Thanks to all reviewers!